


Four times they played The Great Foe, and one time Thor spoke of it

by Keenir



Series: Games of the Nine Realms [2]
Category: Norse Mythology, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angrboda heir to Angrboda, Asgardian history, Gen, Sif granddaughter of Hymir, Slepnir | Sleipnir, Sports, Uplift...sorta, history of the Nine Realms, Álfheimr | Alfheim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-25
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-27 12:21:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/978811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keenir/pseuds/Keenir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One of the more wide-ranging sports Asgardians play, The Great Foe pits one team against another to test their mettles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chitauri & Shwarma

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LitaJ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LitaJ/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the shwarma meal and everyone sits about for a while, Thor tries to explain that, yes, he and Loki have played games with the Chitauri, but New York wasn't one of them.
> 
> (and then a flashback to the first time Thor ever met a Chitauri)

**I. Chitauri After Shwarma.**

"A game?" Steve asked, hoping he was misunderstanding Thor's explanation. And hoping he was wrong that Clint looked about ready to shishkabob Thor. "That entire invasion was...was a game?" 

Thor frowned at his friends' reactions. "You mistake my explaining. I explained to you earlier that Loki has used the Chitauri before."

_And you_ did _seem surprised when those flying whales showed up._

"What transpired in your city was no game," Thor said. "Too many rules were transgressed. My statement before your question," he said to Steve, "was to explain not the invasion, but Loki's prior use of Chitauri."

"...which, by your own admission, you already explained at the time," Natasha said. "On the helicarrier."

"Then time was short and swift action needed. I 'used small words' as Stark says." 

"And now it's my fault? I don't mind being the fall guy, when I'm actually at fault," Tony said. "But the Chitauri -"

At a nearby table, one of the strangers watching a football game on their - Steve was tempted to call it 'a lookingglass; just to get Tony's and Thor's goats - burst out with a loud "Kill'em! Kill'em! Aw, what shitty call was that, ref?"

_It isn't the violence of our games or yours that we're trying to get a handle on, Thor, rest assured of that,_ Natasha thought, and said as much in her own way.

Thor looked skeptical, but didn't say a thing.

"So, this game," Bruce asked. "The one you said Loki'd used Chitauri in before."

"The Great Foe," Thor supplied.

"Right. It's a popular game?"

"It is indeed. It is enjoyed across six of the Nine Realms."

"We're one," Steve said.

"Jotunheim has been isolated so long I do not know if they still play the game," Thor admitted. "And Sutur and Surt are the only thinking beings in their Realm."

"Only two intelligent beings in an entire world?" Bruce asked. "How is that possible?"

"Nothing has been able to kill them."

"That works," Clint said. 

"Verily."

Tony coughed "coough-sidetracked-cough."

"Maybe you should start at the beginning, Thor," Bruce suggested. "I mean, explain it step by step. Don't dumb it down as much."

"Very well," Thor said. "All Avengers fight beneath the banner of the Iceman," which Thor had called Steve ever since hearing of his time away. "All, that is, but for Stark, who commands his army of metal men."

"I told you I was trouble," Tony teased the others. To Thor, "The rest is just details?"

"Nae. The rest are the finer points of the game; they are unimportant only to small children pretending at the game as they chase one another around a yard. To those serious about it, allowances are made for the varying physical and mental abilities of any partaking race." Before they could ask for clarification about that, Thor said, "I first met the Chitauri within Alfheim. Goodmaid Avbir was that rare thing, an elven man ruling on his own, and despite the title was regent for his daughters until their succession was settled..."

**~~~**  
 **17,000 BC:**  
 **The world of Aeðaarsa, within the Realm of Alfheim:**

Two faces looked hard at one another, and nothing was fragile about either visage. One was smooth and glistening with all the colors of a day's dawning beneath massive inkwell eyes. The other was mottled and dull, more a reptile impersonating a man's skull. They could look at one another on an even level, as one was renowned for his lack of physical stature.

"Do you approve?" Loki asked, his words more clipped than usual.

But they had the required effect of getting the elven lord to break eye contact with this Chitauri whom Loki was fielding. "These creatures being strange, certainly, and new to Alfheimr suns. These are your fighters?"

"They are, Goodmaid Avbir. Their self-given name is _Chitauri_ , having some signifigance in their own past and tongue, we can be sure. I bring the Leftbrought Clan of Chitauri as my force as I know how elvishmen relish novelty just as much as they relish challenges," Loki said.

"A truer thing I've not heard you say, Odinson prince," Avbir said. " _Chithaarii_ ," he said, tasting the word. " _Chitauri._ These are the creatures whose rescue you spearheaded? From the ruin between Alfheim and Muspellheim?" and loudly unspoken was the question of what idiot fools would venture to the interstellar chasms between those two Realms?

"They are, and your recognition is most appreciated," Loki said, and Thor could hear the honesty overflowing from those words.

"Then may they prove themselves worthy of your savior actions, Prince Loki Odinson of Asgard, rescuer. But more immediate, but pray hope your forces can grasp what must be known, if they are to win or to lose."

_There is always a third possibility,_ Thor knew. "My brother knows what he does," Thor assured him. "And again, our thanks to you and your neighboring fellow goodmaids for the use of the terrain that may be used." For a player who trespassed, was a player who was forfeited; _Always best to overestimate the amount of ground needed, and let the hosts be generous, than to underestimate, and watch your team be winnowed._ "My father has informed me, Goodmaid Avbir, that this game is to settle a matter of dispute in your kingdom?"

If the local monarch was upset that Odin had told anyone, Avbir at least didn't let it show. "My daughters are quarreling over which is to be my heir, and, I am to hope, conquer my neighbors so she may take the ancestral title of Shatterer," Avbir said. "The Allfather has granted that one may be in your brother's team," and produced with a dramatic flourish the messengered memo for Thor to look over. "It would be entirely your decision, though my other daughter would be as honored as I would if you yourself, Prince Thor of Asgard, do fight against your brother's team."

"I -"

"Accepts," Loki said.

Thor looked at him.

Not until the goodmaid had left - after a great deal of political niceties and diplomatic small talk - did Loki explain to Thor, "Would it not do you good to play on a team which you do not command? How often does this opportunity arise?"

"Not very," Thor had to admit. _Usually I am appointed to lead a team, or I step forward and none dispute my leadership._ "Thank you, brother."

Loki shrugged. "Simply be aware you are going to lose."

Thor grinned, "Is that so?" to which Loki smiled.

"Quite so."

"Such certainty for a commander of mudwallowers," he taunted good-naturedly.

Meeting Thor in an equal spirit, "You confuse my force with when you babysat Dowsers and thought their minds grown sufficiently to play."

"IF YOU ROYAL WOMEN ARE DONE GOSSIPPING?" Jarnsaxa hollered over at them, earning a chuckle from the few Asgardians in attendance; no visible reactions from the Elves; and the Chitauri continued milling around the field in what appeared to best be called 'a state of indifferent confusion.'

_I realize Thor asked - or keeps meaning to ask - her to not be so deeply reverent and deferential to him, but perhaps that was a bit much?_ "And yes," Loki said before Thor could ask it again, "I have made thoroughly sure the Chitauri can grasp the elementary moves I am about to put them through."

"Then let us thoroughly test their mettle."

"Yes, let's."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Avbir's title is _Goodmaid_ , in the same way that Hathsepsut's title was _Pharaoh_.


	2. Eight hundred heads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon returning to Asgard, Loki is hauled away by Hildisvin; Thor tries to talk to Jarnsaxa, and he makes a deal with Odin,
> 
> ...and in the past, fights Sif's grandmother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  ~~In Norse myth, it is said that Od is for whom Freya sheds tears. It is also said that Freya turned him into a boar. (Od is not Odin, mind)~~.  
>  "Od" has been replaced by "Hildisvin."

**THOR:**

When Thor returns to Asgard with a confined Loki held firmly, he finds that they are not simply met by Odin alone. _Father, and Sif, and Freya and HildisvinOd,_ Thor recognized. _And for all Freya keeps him well-groomed, Hildisvin continues to grow ever more boartusked and feral in visage. No doubt he would be unutterably noble in visage by now, had he not lost his powers of flight._

"Welcome back, Loki," Odin says, "Thor. Hildisvin, the Vault."

Hildisvin plucks Loki from Thor's grip and hauls Loki away towards the Vault where prisoners and captives are kept, following the footsteps of the Allfather.

Freya looks at Thor and he would swear there is pity in her eyes. Then she heads Vaultwards to wait for Hildisvin.

Sif stands there, and her face is void of judgement. She awaits.

"Sif?" Thor asks.

"I am not she who missed you, Thor," Sif said. "You need to speak with her."

"I have not known where she was," Thor says, _which is mostly true. During and for a while before my banishment, Jarnsaxa had taken a vacation; always have I had to prompt her to do things like that before she collapses from overwork, something even Asgardians can fall prey to. After my banishment's end, she returned to Asgard, learned what had transpired, and disappeared._

Sif nods, and says "Follow me," and leads him to the roof of one of the hovering towers, and leaves him there to deal with his bodyguard.

"Jarnsaxa?" Thor asks.

**~~~**  
 **JARNSAXA's POV:**

"Jarnsaxa," he says to me. Thor, prince of Asgard, mine own responsibility and sworn duty.

"I will not jump or leap or fall in any way from here, my prince," I inform him.

"That is to the good. May I ask why you are up here?"

I do not answer him. I have not answered him much in quite some time.

"If this is about my banishment, you -" and he graciously stops himself before he might say 'you had nothing to do with that,' which is part of the problem - my job ever has been to prevent incidents such as that from occuring...and if it still occurred, to accompany Thor into his banishment.

"If it were one failure, I could stomach it. This has been growing within me for some time, my prince, my lord," I answer Thor while he fishes for another way to end his statement. And it has. Even sparring and arguing with Fandral and Sif no longer holds the same enjoyment it once did.

"If you need -"

"Nae, though I thank you for your offer. I am what humans call 'old before my time.' No amount of vacations or voyagings will undo it, I fear."

Prince Thor looks thoughtful, considering a thing. "Perhaps you are wrong, Jarnsaxa my friend," he says. 

In the old days, I would heartily object. Now, I do naught more than shake my head.

It happens sometimes...an Asgardian who simply exhausts their vigor and spends the remainder of their life as a pale living shadow of themself; better, think we all, to perish in battle than to be an echo of past glories.

"I would ask for your special assistance on a project of mine," Thor says.

"You never need ask; you know this." I may be useless, but I will always serve.

"My plan is to teach Asgardian games to my human friends. Do you still wish to help?"

"I was your right hand in battle, my prince. I will always help to further your aims," I answer honestly. "And teaching may be best for me at this stage." In the old days, I would not have qualified that with 'may be', so infused was I with service, my loyalty providing unswerving backing of whatever Thor said.

"My thanks, Jarnsaxa Thorsknife," he says, reaffirming that, should I wish to be, I am still his right hand. "Now, let us stand before my father, so that I may present this idea to him."

I do not back away, from anything, any time, ever. Though the thought of confronting the Allfather with _an idea_ is nearly enough to make anyone reconsider that principle.

**~~~**  
 **THOR:**

"You wish to what?" Odin asked.

"Now that Midgard has dabbled with the powers of the Tesseract, they have drawn the eyes and attentions of other Realms and elsewheres," Thor said.

Odin said nothing to this; it was indisputable.

"I propose that we of Asgard and our allies and dependancies, we begin a time of coordinating our forces. And a friendly game of Great Foe would be a fine way to begin that."

Odin looked at his son. _There is more to this than what you say. But I am not your mother with her gifts, so I have only hunches and experience._ "And who would coordinate this noble effort?"

"I would be honored if you permitted me to be a part of the work," Thor said.

"You do not wish to lead?"

"I would not ask it, nor would I refuse it."

"A good answer, one your brother would have given."

Thor wasn't sure if a 'thank you' was the response the Allfather was looking for.

Odin continued speaking: "I grant it. Go, yourself and Jarnsaxa, and with or without your human friends, invite the Jotuns first before any others."

Thor stiffened. "Father, Allfather, the -"

"They kept to their world by agreement. Even the destruction handed them by you and your brother, only dented their capacities. They only lacked interworld travel." _So I had believed, until their raid upon my Armory._

**~~~~~~~**  
 **1,009,000 Years Ago:**

Hymir was Asgardian, but second in stature only to mighty Heimdall, and the ceiling of his residence was of appropriate height.

Down the entrance hall and past trophy rooms full of treasures gained, did Thor and Loki and Jarnsaxa and Volstagg follow Sif and her grandmother fair Gefion, master gardener. And they emerged into a lower rung of the back yard, where stood a patiently waiting Hymir by the door. In the yard itself stood seven hundred and ninety-nine cavalry officers and a horse without a rider. In the future, Tony Stark would call it a private army, Steve Rogers would call it a regiment not entirely dissimilar from the men he had fought alongside, and Phil Coulson would call it a lot of paperwork waiting to happen.

"Welcome, young people of Asgard," Hymir greeted them as Gefion left them to join her sisters-in-arms on horseback.

"We thank you for your offer of sport, Noble Hymir," Thor says. "But whom are we facing off against? The children of your cavalry?" Hymir's cavalry is, for all intensive purposes, Asgard's cavalry, until the day arrives that it is no longer so.

"No."

"Then...?" Volstagg asks.

There is a word for a team who are so in sympatico that when they march and race, they as much of one mind, one purpose, as a single body - in the languages of Midgard, the best approximation is _the host_. That sympatico word is what Hymir says in answer to the question.

 _This is not brave or daring,_ Loki thinks, _this is foolhardy, madness,_ but does not say such things where Sif could hear - much less Hymir and his horsewomen.

The old lord uses this time of silence on the part of his guests, to stride over to Gefion's side and speak in hushed tones to her.

Watching old Hymir run callused fingers along the much-scarred back of Gefion's hand, Thor thought, _Sometimes I wonder if that is what Sif sees - or fears would be seen - between myself and Jarnsaxa._ "Great and mighty lord, leader of many," Thor said, head lowered respectfully, "how can this be a fair fight?"

A number in the host chuckled, two giggled.

Hymir turned his head and looked down at Thor. "Your mother bade me teach you and your friends the history of Asgard. I felt it best to begin your lessons with an appreciation of what your ancestor experienced when he founded your royal dynasty. Mine own grandfather said that Buri had barely more armed loyalists than I see by your side now."

Rather than join the side of her grandmother, Sif remained with Thor and Loki.

"Very well," Thor said, figuring that, if it worked once, it had to be able to work again. "Loki, you will lead."

Loki looked at him as if to ask _of all the times for you to overestimate my intellect, you pick **now**?_

"There will be no death, no drawing of blood, no inflicting of maiming," Hymir said; on Earth, a million-and-some years from now, some sports could be divided into touch vs flag vs tackle versions - the same leeway existed in The Great Foe. "Is this understood?" and all eight hundred agreed.

"We understand," said Thor and Loki and Sif and Jarnsaxa and Volstagg.

**~~**  
 **Nearly Two Days Later:**

"Did I not tell you you could do this?" Thor asked Loki, slapping him on the back. "Fully four hundred of them have fallen."

 _Not dead, but out of further use as far as this field's game battle is concerned,_ Loki thought. _We are the Foe, and we are actually starting to win._

Here in the entrenchment with them, "Lucky us they aren't overthinking their own attacks," Volstagg said.

Sif nodded. "They haven't needed to - they can still swamp us like the tide," she said.

"O lo how great your optimism," Jarnsaxa retorted. "We haven't lost anyone yet."

"And I note your use of 'yet', o she who chides my insufficient optimism."

Loki groaned. "Perhaps some psychological attack next?" he suggested. "Torches and fire?"

Sif shook her head. "Loki, you couldn't scare those horses with fire, much less dead bodies - trust me, I've tried, with week-old bilgesnipes."

"What about my body?"

"WHAT?" Sif asked at the same time as -

"NO dead body, brother!" Thor insisted. "Particularly not yours!"

"How would you distract four hundred horses, Loki?" Volstagg asked, hoping it wasn't taken as a dare or a challenge, not in this climate.

Loki grinned. "I have an idea."


	3. To hold with those who favor ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tony Stark meets the Jotuns.
> 
> ...and in the past, Sif and her foster son discuss recovering Loki from hostile aliens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With thanks to **LitaJ** , for reminding me - unintentionally or not - that when one plays with myth as fast-and-loose as I have been (to some degree, at least), it is best to not leave too many open questions - particularly not the unintended ones.

**800s AD**  
 **ATHELNEY, Kingdom of Alfred:**

The low-key toast to the victory of the four of them at a table, was misinterpreted by the surrounding humans as a toast to King Alfred's victory over Guthrum, who had so recently been converted and renamed Aethelstan. Not that the Asgardians were about to say otherwise.

Watching one of Guthrum's unconverted followers try to convince his fellows that - loyalty or not - this was not a wise course of action, Thor asked Loki and the others, "Do you think we ever acted like that, our ancestors, I mean, thinking we had incurred the wrath of the Norns?"

"The Wind Giants were more hands-on than we Asgardians tend to be, were they not?" Sif asked back.

"That would be a 'I should hope not', brother," Loki translated for Thor. "Still, not the worst entertainment we've witnessed. We might even take part later?"

"That would scandalize them, certainly," Jarnsaxa suggested.

"The monks, the king, or Guthrum?" Thor asked.

Seeing the smile on Loki's face, Sif told him in no uncertain terms that "Should you attempt to place a _chism_ round my skull, Odinsons, you will find yourselves with one round your throats."

"I do not believe that is how they work." _And don't you think Thor would look good in white? Would shock the Allmother, certainly - for, among other reasons, one of her sons emerging from a battle clean enough to wear white._

"The girl knows her garrottes," Jarnsaxa said sagely.

Sif nodded.

Loki shrugged. "If they are scandalized by anything, it would be that we, the great and mighty objects of reverence, fought alongside Alfred against Guthrum."

 _And for the same reason we fought against my grandfather's cavalry - for the challenge of it,_ Sif knew. _We held ourselves to the rules of Foe, even if the armies around us did not; Foe is as much a contest of personal will, as it is of strategy._

"Aethelstan," said a passing human soldier.

Seeing Loki narrow those eyes, Thor said "Perhaps we should find some children or other noncelebrants, and spin a tale or two for them."

"A fine idea, my lord," Jarnsaxa said, "as I have had enough of marching through bogs, in war or peacetime, to last a century."

"And I agree with her this time," Sif said.

"I believe we can all agree on that," Loki said.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**  
 **AVENGERS TOWER:**  
 **PRESENT DAY:**

"Thor?" Steve asked, seeing who had just - _tell me, somebody tell me he didn't really just pass through a wall that's not broken after being passed through._

"How'd you get here?" Bruce asked, his brain insisting on taking a closer look - or at least a second and third glance - at how Thor had gotten here.

"Besides the honking huge horse," Tony said.

As he dismounted, Thor said, "My friends, this is Slepnir. The Allfather has granted myself and Jarnsaxa the loan of Slepnir's powers so I might attempt a peace-forging."

"Jarnsaxa?" Natasha asked the woman who was still on Slepnir.

"I am she," Jarnsaxa replied. "Which of you is the iron man?" _The source of bother more than stress, from what Coulson said to me._

Tony pointed to Bruce.

Steve and Natasha pointed to Tony.

“Hey,” Tony said to Jarnsaxa. “How’re you doing?”

She gave him a look that Tony recognized from abundant use on Pepper’s part: one that said ‘don’t bug me, I’m not in the mood to humor you.’

"Get on Slepnir; Thor says your skills are needed," Jarnsaxa said.

"His are?" Natasha wasn't the only one to ask that.

Tony pointed to himself and asked everyone else, "Why is that so surprising?"

"How long do you have?" Steve asked.

"And because we know you," Natasha said.

"Nonetheless," Thor said, "it is true. I must make peace with the Realm I invaded, and ask them to assist us."

"Us?" Tony and Bruce and Steve and Clint asked. Natasha just raised an eyebrow.

"Verily. Now that the other Realms - and places beyond - have again noticed the Earth, we must prepare for the possibility of war. An alliance, however tenuous, with my enemies...that would dishearten most from attempting to threaten your world. For those few remaining, it would be best if their tactics did not come as a surprise to you."

"And how do you plan on taking out the element of surprise?" Clint asked. "Steal their battle plans?"

"I have sketched out the way The Great Foe is played in the Realms," Thor said. Most nodded. "The game is so popular and has lasted this long, because it integrates the battle strategies of every Realm's history into itself."

Jarnsaxa coughed.

"And slightly ritualizes it," Thor added. "The Dark Elves have a version of it which is played on a board of wood or stone, with tiny movable pieces, but that is too symbolic for proper teambuilding."

Another cough.

Thor frowned, and asked her, "Did you and she not come to terms and break your axes?" _Or are you and Sif still at one another's throats?_

"Bury the hatchet?" Steve asked.

"We had to break them first," Jarnsaxa said, agreeing with Steve.

"Before any asks," Thor said to his friends, "Asgard will not always be able to come to your aid. Even I may not come in time. Indeed, I may not always be of a mind to, particularly as I have wagered Loki that you would be willing to learn."

"Your brother gets taken prisoner and thrown in...wherever you guys put people," Bruce asked.

"And you make a bet with him the next day?" Clint asked.

"I did not," Thor said.

"I'm sorry, say that again?" Stark asked. "If you didn't bet _with_ him -"

"On the contrary, I did bet with him. I bet Loki's life," Thor said. "If we win this round of Great Foe, Loki will be set free."

 _That's just evil, man - if we help you, Loki wins and gets to do anything he wants; we don't help you, you hate us til the end of time because Loki...dies? stays in prison? what do you guys do with your prisoners?_ "Can we forfeit now or do we have to wait til we step on the field?" Clint asked.

"Either may be done. I will then be marched to Jotunheim."

"What?"

"Where?" Bruce asked.

"Realm of the Frost Giants," Slepnir said in what sounded to Thor very much akin to Darcy's _because it was obvious_ voice.

Bruce resisted the temptation to ask Slepnir a question - or to ask about Slepnir - because that might derail what seemed like a fairly urgent conversation for Thor.

"Why?" Steve asked.

"To Jotunheim, I am more guilty than Loki - my action precipitated his, certainly in their eyes. And it was the only way my father would permit me to bet with Loki's life and punishment."

"So to free your brother, you put yourself on the chopping block - potentially?" Stark asked. "Ballsy." _To say nothing of dropping this news on us at the same time we're seeing a talking horse with - eight? ten? more legs? Hard to tell, some of it is still in the wall._

"Yes," Thor said. Seeing the looks of disbelief and, worse, skepticism, around him, "I do give my word as Thor, handler of Mjolnir the mighty, destroyer, leveler, builder. I swear this as my name is Thor, son of Odin the father of I, Thor, friend of mankind and soldier of Asgard am I, Thor, named in honor of the great and mighty Asathor, who alone in all of history has been able to humble even the glove of the almighty Skymir." Thor looked around at his friends. "Do you believe me now?"

"It isn't that you had to swear, Thor," Natasha said. "It's more that you think this is the only option." _And that that option includes freeing Loki..._

"Nae, not the only option," Thor said. "Merely the best choice of several paths to a future."

"Kinda curious what the other options were," Clint said. "Make us forget New York?" sounding like he'd prefer that option.

"New York," Thor said. "Athelney. Toba."

"Toba?"

"Please, my friends," Thor asked. "I will be in your debt, should you do this."

Steve tried not to frown. _On one hand, he reminds us that we're all friends. Then he says he'll owe us - and what kind of friends only do something if there's something in it for us?_ "We're your friends, Thor," Steve agreed, and a lot of heads nodded. "We're in."

 _We keep forgetting that Thor's essentially one huge carrot, and we don't think enough about what that hammer of his means. It means that there's the ability to make things like that, and maybe even more powerful things by now. Do we really want to see the sort of stick that the big guy's Nine Realms can spank us with? Besides..._ "I'm game for a little wargaming to promote international - sorry, interplanetary peace," Tony said as he walked over to the wall and leaned flat against it, and a suit covered him up piece by piece. _Pepper was plenty pissed about this, until she found out there's no long-distance travel capability on this one - it's strictly regional, in-state. That's why it couldn't join the other suits in the big Miami battle._

"You are sure?" Thor asked. "You are certain?"

"Both," Natasha said, speaking for everybody. "We've got your back."

"That is not something to do lightly," Jarnsaxa said.

"We know," Natasha said as Thor helped Tony get atop Slepnir, then Thor himself got on.

“I would caution you to care, friend Stark,” Thor said once Iron Man was on horseback between him and Jarnsaxa, as Slepnir looked for the firmest interdimensional branches to leap onto for a swift ride to Jotunheim; “Where we are heading now, do not rely much upon what your recorded myths state. Some of what we told your ancestors grew jumbled and conflated. Other tales were rather the result of exaggeration on the part of myself and my friends,” _such as our fabled journeys to the lands of Giants of one kind or another._

"This would be a bad time to joke about what's the worst that could possibly happen, isn't it?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Thor and Jarnsaxa and Steve and Natasha all said.

And then Slepnir leaped, and began moving faster than light, and everyone on him was stuck in place until – at last – Slepnir pounced down onto solid frozen turf, and everyone dismounted swiftly, their feet savoring the sweet feel of something moving at a geological pace.

"I just have one last question," Tony said, wondering if it was normal in that sort of travel to feel like one’s spleen is in one’s neck.

"Ask it," Thor said, making a silent resolution to never again ask to borrow Slepnir.

Pointing, "Is that your brother's kid?"

Thor looked at Stark's metal hand, following where that finger was pointing...and then Thor stood on his tiptoes to look over Slepnir in case someone was on the other side. "There is no-one there," Thor said.

"There's the horse," Tony said.

Even Jarnsaxa managed a smile at _that_.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Friend Stark," Thor said, "Slepnir was an ancient creature when he first set foot in Asgard while Buri - the first king of my dynasty - was building the wall there. Your ancestors had not yet learned how to walk on land when this happened."

"And Loki?"

"The Loki you have met, he is my age; we were born at the end of our last War with Jotunheim, the world upon which we stand now."

Before Tony could ask ‘there’s another Loki?’ –

"You do," said a dry voice not entirely dissimilar from Laufey's.

Thor spun around, as did Jarnsaxa, instinctively on the alert, looking around for the source of the voice.

"Son of Odin, heir of Buri, friend of maggots."

"Nae," Thor said. "Friend of trees and of dolls, but not of maggots. To whom do I speak?"

"Son of Nal, heir of Ymir, friend of silence. Named Rungnir after that which terrifies your race."

Tony made a mental note to find out what the original Rungnir was. "Tony Stark, son of Howard, heir of Leonardo, friend of anybody I like," Tony introduced himself, using the fact that he'd been called 'the da Vinci of our time.' "How are ya?"

 _How comforting to know the daring has not been bred out of your race._ "I am well, human. What brings you to Jotunheim?"

"Big horse."

Thor said, "Good Rungnir, we have come with words to offer to... Who leads Jotunheim now?"

Rungnir stepped out from a shadow, twice and a bit taller than Thor. "Good Thor, do you not know that Allfather Odin has pronounced this age to be one of peace? Even interrupted as it was by your invasion, this is a time and place of peace."

"Who is Laufey's successor?"

A strange rustling sound that took the three a while to realize was laughter. Rungnir's laughter. "Laufey ruled because he was foremost in military skill. After the War, he stood between Jotunheim and Asgard. To the end, he served his Realm.

"Who calls the shots, then, in peacetime?" Tony asked.

"Thinga," Rungnir said.

"A representative council, much as your land has, Stark," Thor said.

"Follow," Rungnir told them, as a tunnel appeared in the rock behind him. "If you mean to say your words, Asgardian, then you will say them in thinga; this way," and, turning around, walked into the tunnel.

As they walked the long way through the subterranean passage, "Trees and maggots and dolls?" Tony asked in a quiet voice.

"Aye, there is much symbolism in the treaties between Asgard and Jotunheim," Thor said. "The Allfather made certain Loki and I learned it well. Maggots are dwarves. Trees are humans."

"And dolls?"

Thor had a smile on his face when he said "Nothing you have yet met."

"Would I want to?"

A shrug.

And then Rungnir emerged from the tunnel, the three of them doing likewise soon after. _We're in a gigantic volcano,_ Tony thought, looking at the sheer size of the sloping walls all around them. _Wait, no; this is a coliseum, or an amphitheater,_ as his helmet allowed him to make out successively greater detail on all of what had initially looked like stratified layers of soil - turning out to be rungs and floors full of more Jotuns more or less like Rungnir here.

"Representatives are paltry when one can accomplish full voicing of all," Rungnir told the three.

"Yeah, we're working on that," Tony said. _Maybe we'll have accomplished it by the time I use tweeted kitten pictures to solve all the problems in North Korea._ "You wanna go first?" he asked Thor.

Rungnir stepped away, giving Thor leave to make his presentation.

 _Noooo pressure,_ Tony couldn't help but think.

"Great lords and ladies of Jotunheim," Thor said, and to Tony's ears droned on for at least five minutes about lineage and ancestors and the deeds thereof, and a few notable Jotuns he learned about in history class or somewhere. Finally, "It is my hope that I might partake of an effort to solidify a peace between our long-disparate races," Thor said. "In addition, if you are in agreement, you would help me to teach the child-race you raised quite well, how to become a better citizen of the Nine Realms. I offer to begin with the most basic of efforts, a sport which all ages of individuals and all ages of races may learn - and I feel humankind is in need of our combined efforts."

Tony didn't trust himself to say something to that. On one hand, Thor was a buddy, a friend, somebody who had his back in a fight. _On the other hand, what the hell?_

"I speak of The Great Foe," Thor continued. "I mourn that I know not what forms the game has taken on Jotunheim, but that is but one of the things I ask of you - that you teach humankind how to take part in the game which is both common currency and a common language in the Nine Realms. Let us begin there, I ask most humbly of you all," Thor said, lowering his head before bowing and backing away slowly.

Ice flowed and coated the surfaces of everywhere, snow blizzarding down into the bowl where they stood. Finally, at last, everything cleared, and "We shall assist you," Rungnir said. "But at a condition."

Thor dipped his head, ready to concede what needed to be done.

"When the great War broke out, humanity was not our only child-race left orphaned - simply the only one who still required a guiding hand. Our other child-race was by that point nearly ready to fend for themselves; our condition is not twofold. We know now is not the time to ask for a re-establishment of contact between Jotunheim and our cousins in Niflheim, nor are you the one who should be asked on the subject.”

Thor knew a little of what was at stake: long before the war, back when Bor had been King of Asgard, the Realms of Niflheim and Jotunheim had suffered something that - when asked about - they called 'a minor philosophic disagreement' and communication and travel between their two Realms was cut to a trickle. From then on, the most notable difference non-Jotuns could see was that the Jotuns of Niflheim fired bolts and shards of ice, while the Jotuns of Jotunheim formed frozen weapons as extensions of their bodies. So Thor said, "I will pave the way and inquire, though I lack the power to establish it firmly."

"We wish contact. Rapproachment may not arrive in either of our lifetimes; we do not fear that. But what is important, particularly in what you are asking, Thor of Asgard, is that you involve at least part of the Serpents in this effort. They are, you may say, mankind's sibling-race."

"So be it," Thor said, knowing exactly who they could call upon. _Sif will be glad to see Jormungand again._

"And I shall not be interlocutor or psychompomp between Jotunheim and Midgard, nor between Jotunheim and Asgard. A more worthy Jotun, a sorceress from a distinguished line of sorceresses, she shall be holding those positions between Jotunheim and Midgard."

Thor looked at Stark, who asked "Who, exactly?"

A steel-corded waif standing at the wall behind Tony said, "I am Angrboda, the daughter and student of Angrboda, an unbroken line of magic stretching further than to Angrboda who was friend to once-Loki The Wind Giant the friend of your Asgardian friend's dynasty."

"Nice to meet you," Tony said.

Rungnir said, "Then we have the dawning of agreement. Let this be known as the Treaty of Skymir," and paused to let that name sink in Thor's and Jarnsaxa's ears. "Yes, the mythic whispered-of thing which all races in the Nine Realms whisper of in fear."

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**  
 **30,000 Years Ago:**  
 **3rd Serpent Colony World:**

"Spit him out, Jormungand. Right now," Sif told him.

Jormungand, of the race whose name translated in Allspeech as Serpents, who knew that just as they made do with starships to journey from world to world, there were elder races who could **_walk_** the same distance far far quicker. And just as all worlds had creatures which could bristle up their fur or feathers or other parts to appear bigger, the Serpents could alter their size for both offense and defence.

Her foster son opened his mouth and vomited up Thor, who landed in the shallow water with no damage aside from to his dignity perhaps.

For his part, Jormungand deflated from a snake the size of a longhouse, to a snake little bigger than Thor himself. "Sorry. I didn't think," he apologized to Thor.

"Do not fret," Thor told him, patting where Thor assumed a shoulder would be, "I too acted in haste. And the lesson was to learn how to disarm your opponents, was it not? You succeeded," sparing a glance at where a dummy spearpole drifted on the current.

They had come to this world of the Serpents centuries ago, more to explore than anything else, and Sif had ended up as foster mother to one of this legless race. _Can't even blame Loki, though some days I'd like to. It was entirely my doing, however unknowingly._ Fosterage among Serpents meant tutoring, not caretaking. And for Sif, tutoring meant instructing the boy in tactics. _Which means I am obligated to come from time to time and further his military education; not a thing I am adverse to._

**~~~**  
 **23,000 Years Ago:**  
 **aboard the lead ship in the Serpent Armada,**  
 **holding position beside a neutron star's solar system, long abandoned by the forgelord Brokk:**

Jormungand lay coiled in a ring shape, deflated to as small as he could become, only twice the length of Thor and of the same girth. "I am brought low. I have failed. Worse, I have done harm to foster-kin."

"Get up," Sif told him. "Your crew do not need a moaning waste, they need a leader. Did I for my part raise a quitter?" Thor and Loki had been eager to accompany her on this mission, the first time joining the boy while he was deployed - though not for a lack of his requesting her presence/audience at earlier deployments. Though Thor's and Loki's and her earlier idea of providing a unified front, a font of assistance to the Serpents... had quickly collapsed. _Loki was captured by a raiding party of the enemy. Thor was injured in that raid, and placed under protective custody until he heals, leaving me alone with Jormungand._

"No," he replied, and rose. "I am sorry, mother," Jormungand said. "I would have gulped down uncle Thor sooner had I been able to reach him." _I wanted her and my uncles to witness me facing down and defeating - if it came to that - this enemy who trespasses into the Nine Realms. I wanted them to be full of pride that I am capable with this armada at my disposal._

"I know," Sif said. "You did your best," and it did make sense for a race of mouth-brooders to swallow allies who were in danger, then spit them out when they had reached safety. She had not, however, ever gotten a definate answer as to why Allspeech translated 'comrade of one who trains me' as 'uncle.'

"Should I present the Hive with an offer of parley, so we might recover uncle Loki?"

"No. He would want the same as I want: that you bring your enemy to heel and crush them underfoot - undertread," she corrected. _And it is anyone's guess how much or little help Loki is being over there,_ Sif knew. Looking at the layers of holograms projected up, depicting the Serpents' Armada and the Hive fleet, Sif knew that there was no concept of prisoners in The Great Foe - one destroyed their opponents from play either literally or symbolically. _But the Hive are from outside the Realms, so they do not know the rules. And while all Serpents know the shape and nature of the universe and ways of moving through space and the spaces, the sports of their elders has not been impressed upon them; Jormungand knows The Great Foe only because he is my foster son._

_So Loki may yet be alive._

"Your advice is greatly sought," Jormungand said, interupting her thoughts.

"Play by the rules, and punish them who break the rules," Sif said.

"The Great Foe, or our rules of war?" seeking full clarity.

"Both," Sif said. _And if Loki can succeed in finding the one thing that can set four hundred horses to fleeing for their terrified lives, then I have confidence that you and I can find a way to defeat this Hive and recover a living Loki to us._


	4. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane reveals to Natasha her secret for not worrying.
> 
> ...and later, her and Thor have a little (semiromantic) chat.
> 
> And in the past, Thor & friends try to help people step up to the plate.
> 
> ...and Angrboda does her Batman impression.

**MEANWHILE:**

Jane and Darcy had arrived not long after Thor had taken Stark to Jotunheim - _on horseback through a wall. Hell, why not?_ Darcy thought with a silent chuckle.

"You're very calm," Natasha said, sitting down alongside Darcy and Jane, handing them each a drink they'd enjoy.

"Should we be panicking?" Darcy asked. "We don't always notice the warning signs as soon as, say, normal people."

Natasha gave a small smile at the compliment - backhanded or not. 

Jane said, "You mean, why aren't I worried about what Thor might get up to?"

"Among other things."

"I've met Sif already, haven't met Jarnsaxa," Jane said, and pulled out a heavily-dog-eared copy of The Prose Edda, pocket edition. "This helps."

Giving the little book a skeptical glance, Natasha said, "That doesn't make things worse?"

"It might've, only one night during his banishment, Thor went through the entire book and told me which parts were true, which had been jumbled up, which were fabrications, and so on," Jane said. _Billing's Daughter, it turns out, didn't have anything at all to do with Odin - she was Thor's first crush._ "You might like to read it, or make copies," handing it to Natasha, "so everyone else doesn't -"

"Put their foot in mouth worse than I did," Darcy asked. _All I did was ask about the guy who accidentally killed Thor's goat._

"I was going to say 'make a mistake,'" Jane said.

"And that's why we love you."

A few moments later, Darcy added, "Aand they're back," as Slepnir and riders came back into the room through the same wall.

Tony slid off, feeling like his suit had shrank in transit - in thickness if not in size. "Hey," he said to everyone. "Miss me?"

Thor was next off, already deep in thought. As he spoke warm greetings to his friends, and strode quickly cross the room to Jane, he thought to himself, _Whereas Laufey and the Jotuns we faced during my incursion into Jotunheim, they were bare-chested; Rungnir and Angrboda and some other Jotuns we passed at and leaving the thinga, wore tunics and trousers and cloaks. Cultural differences? Military subculture? Sheer age? Levels of power?_ and knew he would have to learn more, particularly if this treaty was to succeed as well as he hoped. "I have missed you greatly," Thor said to Jane, wrapping his arms around her.

Angrboda dropped off Slepnir, quick to step away from the many-legged one. "So many humans. This will be fun," she said.

"Nice to meet you," Bruce said, not sure if her people shook hands, or clasped arms, or shared breath, or something he wasn't thinking of. 

Thinking the man had stopped owing to not knowing how to address her, "I am by name Angrboda, heir to Angrboda of the Iron Forest. I am of the race Jotun, the Realm Jotunheim, the network of Nine Realms."

"Welcome to Earth."

Jarnsaxa dismounted and kept one eye on Thor, one eye on Angrboda. Though she had to put that on hold when Thor called her over: "Jane, my love," Thor said, making introductions, "this is Jarnsaxa, my right hand."

Darcy bit her own tongue. _Or am I thinking of the left hand?_

Jarnsaxa dipped her head and knelt on one knee. "I am honored to be brought before such a worlds-changing personage. Truly the holder of my lord's heart is precisely the proper stature - grand."

"Worlds-changing?' Jane asked, deciding to focus on that for now.

"You were instrumental in persuading the prince of Asgard to return home with Mjolnir."

Jane looked at Thor, silently wondering _Just how much have you been embellishing your time on Earth?_ and nearly missed Jarnsaxa saying -

"I look forward to you besting me on the training field."

"Tha- W- What?" Jane asked her, trying not to frown. _Is this some Asgardian tradition, the fiancé has to kick the bodyguard's butt before she can marry the protectee?_

"She will join the field when she feels herself ready, not before," Thor told Jarnsaxa.

"That was never in question," Jarnsaxa said.

**~~~~~~~**  
 **That Night:**

"What did she mean when she said I'm the proper stature?" Jane asked as they stood in one of the many spare bedrooms here in Avengers Tower. _I can get used to people dropping to their knees around you, if I have to; ditto on saying 'my lord'._

"It is an old jest," Thor said.

"I'd like to hear it," she asked of him.

"As youths, we often took turns pretending to be brave warriors facing off against a Giant - which was normally Jarnsaxa or myself. As we grew, she and Sif would laugh that my love could only be captured by someone smaller than I; thus, they were little help as I recovered from being cast adrift by Billing's daughter."

"I can imagine."

"She was shorter than you," Thor said.

Jane walked over to the balcony.

Thor had a bad feeling that was neither useful nor helpful in his courtship of Jane, and might indeed have severed the ties of love between them.

"Thor?" Jane asked.

Breathing a silent sigh of relief, "Yes, Jane my love?" Thor asked, coming over to stand behind her, though not sure if that had been a 'come here now' summoning, or a 'please wrap your arms around me' summoning; and right now, didn't particularly care which.

"I have a question."

"I have in the past assured you that I will answer all your questions. That assurance has not expired, nor has the promise it carried."

He could hear the pleased smile in her next words: "Earth is one world and one Realm, right?"

 _This is what Volstagg would call an 'uh-oh' question._ "It is, and a fine one. Very Goldilocks in its ranges."

"Not too hot, not too cold," Jane said, wondering who had taken the time to introduce Thor to fairytales. And then wondered if she was putting the cart before the horse. "And Jotunheim is the same - one world, one Realm."

"Yes," Thor said, hoping she didn't push him on that; _I would still prefer to not speak of Jotunheim. My banishment may have ended, but my feelings regarding it are what Stark calls unresolved. But that will not stop nor prevent me from working upon this treaty._

"Are there any Realms that are more than one world?"

"There are several," Thor said. "Alfheim and Dvergrheim are the notable ones."

"How are the boundaries drawn?" Jane asked. "I mean, why is Midgard only one world?"

"It would be two worlds, Jane, but your people's second world is not habitable. But it is there," and pointed to it in the night sky overhead.

"That's the Moon," Jane said, and thought of the people who called Earth and the Moon a binary planet. "Okay, so it has to be habitable and...and nearby?" _The Moon is certainly that._

"Distance is not a factor," Thor said.

"We've walked on it. Claiming it for ourselves, is that it?" and hoped Thor didn't clarify with 'conquest.'

"That is a part of it, yes. As well as a willingness to educate the natives of the claimed world, when such natives arise."

"We don't qualify as education, do we?" Jane asked, worried and concerned. _I finally stop worrying about Sif, Jarnsaxa, giant alien armadas, and all that... And now - no!_ stopping herself when she noticed that Thor was keeping silent. Jane realized she had set him an unanswerable question - _any reply he gives, would be the wrong answer._ "You and I," Jane clarified.

"We do not, Jane," Thor said into the roof of her scalp as his arms wrapped carefully around her body. "You and I are you and I. Teaching may only be done on a community level and above."

Jane broke free - with absurd ease - and stared at him. "What?? But you said - you told me..."

"I vowed to answer your questions," Thor reminded her. "I never offered to build you a Bifrost. Nor to instruct you in how to go about it."

All the fear and indignation evaporated out of her. "You didn't," she agreed, and stepped forward to hug him.

"I never knew how, at any way," he added in case it helped.

Jane laughed and hoped he could feel her laughter through their skin, _even half as well as I can feel it when he laughs._

They stayed like that for a while longer, watching the Moon move through the night sky. "This is my favorite night," Thor said after what Jane's internal clock suggested might have been more than an hour.

She had no need to ask 'really?', knowing as she did that he didn't lie to her. "That means a lot," Jane said, and it did... _particularly with all the night's he's seen and lived through and..._ "Nothing else comes close?"

"The 7th Night Of Nok comes nearest, but does not measure close to this," Thor said.

"Let me guess, a victory?" she teased him.

"Yes."

"A battle."

"No."

Jane hoped her hands hadn't suddenly gone clammy or sweaty. "Really?" and wondered what her name was. _Nok?_

"Nok is a length of time in the Dowser system of timekeeping," Thor said, feeling Jane's discomfort, and attempting to demolish it. 

"Dowsers?" Jane asked. "Water-finders?"

Thor nodded gently, and felt this was a situation where more than a sketch should be given. "That is a good description of their ancestral state. The Dowsers had once been servants and pets to the Dwarves, and were now a client civilization. But just as a Dwarven world had given birth to the Dowsers, another of the Dwarven worlds later produced the Falcons. While the Dwarves had proven capable and talented teachers to the Dowsers, they refused to have anything to do with a race capable of flight, and they offered the Falcons as a gift to my grandfather."

Jane was impressed, but was careful not to show it - _any time we're talking and I even tangetically touch on his father's age, asking or not, Thor changes the subject. This is the first time I've ever heard him mention anyone older than Odin._ "So the Falcons became the students of Asgard?"

"The Asgardians became teachers and nannies to the Falcons," Thor said.

"Like you were to mankind?"

Thor made a face, thankful Jane could not see it. "As I understand, the nannies and first teachers of your race were the Jotuns," Thor said. "They accompanied you down from the trees and made certain you could properly fashion hunting tools. When they lost their war against Asgard, my people assumed the responsibility of protecting your people and your world from trespassers - that is the other responsibility of a teacher."

 _Fermi's Paradox, explained at last._ "So the Jotuns protected and taught the proto-humans, and the Asgardians protected humans."

_In the laws of the Nine Realms, there is no distinction of rights - you, Jane, would receive the same comforts and protections and rights which would be afforded to a 'proto human' - nor is there a distinction in names within a race: you would both be addressed as 'Midgardr' or as 'Human.'_ "A something like that."

"Can you tell me about that seventh of Nok?" Jane asked.

"I shall," Thor said, _It was the first victory of Hildisvin, and his last victory as Perchlord of the Falcons_ , and was about to begin when Jane said -

"Good, and after that, we can work on that teaching position."

 _Allfather do not strike me down._ "Jane -"

"What? I think you'll like what I'll be teaching you tonight." _Who exactly do I talk to - can I talk to - for picking up romantic innuendo? Yeah, so not the sort of question I ever thought I'd find myself wondering._

**~~~~~~**  
 **1,700,00 Years Ago:**  
 **the 7th of Nok, midday:** **Ivaldiheim:**

This world was as close as Asgardians and Dwarves had to an agreed-upon neutral ground.

What appeared - on first glance as they approached the gaming field and its attached steppes - to be a motley collection of tents and pavilions huddled together with opera being performed somewhere under them... became clearly evident on reaching the field, as the team of Dowsers singing to one another in the open space: there were no actual tents, no pavilions. With Dowsers, the Dwarves had never again needed either except for ceremony.

"My lords and ladies of Asgard, most noble and seemly fair-minded ones," said Hildisvin, perchlord of this band of Falcons as he approached alongside Thor and company from where the Falcons had been trailing behind on foot. "Might this unworthy petitioner request that my band do circle above your most regal heads to recon for your wise strategems and shade your mighty brows from the unholy sun of this misbegotten dry mire?"

"Keep near," Thor said, granting the request.

"We would not do otherwise without guidance from your instructive hands, great lords and ladies," Hildisvin said, and backed away wobblingly before turning and returning to his fellow Falcons, and as one they all spread their great wings and took to the air.

"Properly deferential," Loki said approvingly.

Sif and Gudrun rolled their eyes.

"It is not difficult," Jarnsaxa remarked.

If Sif rolled her eyes any further, they would have circled around within her skull.

"Let us not quarrel," Volstagg said. "We should think on how we will triumph over the Dwarves once again."

"We could club them with Jarnsaxa, and be done with it," Sif suggested.

"Or force them to listen to Sif singing," Jarnsaxa suggested.

"Continue this, and we shall all depart from this Realm," Thor warned them both, "giving spoil to all our reputations. And the moreso worse it would be, as this was meant to be a day of great glory for our Falcon friends."

"Détente?" Loki asked them.

They both nodded agreement, glaring figurative daggers at one another.

"Go Hildisvin," Thor said, wondering if the Allfather had ever had to deal with anything like this, and if he had any advice for Thor in this sort of situation. "Perchlord Hildisvin," Thor called up, and when Hildisvin swooped by and did his best to hold position above and in front of Thor, Thor then said before any flattery or greeting could begin, "I would ask you to formulate tactic plans for reccommendation to me and my compatriots. You do possess an advantage over us where the field is concerned."

Hildisvin nearly fell from the sky. "This is...Truly you... By thee... Your wills be done. Thou shalt be proud," and flew off without being dismissed by more than a glance on Thor's part.

 _If that doesn't start a new heresy, nothing will,_ Loki mused. "Orders from On High, brother?" he asked.

"Father suggested it, yes," Thor said. "He in fact suggested it three games ago, granting me leeway in the execution."

"And you felt it would have the greatest impact for Falconkind, if their weaning toward autonomy began with a victory over the Dowsers."

"Rightfully clever," Jarnsaxa said.

Sif groaned. Calmer, "So what actions do we take on the fields?" she asked.

Suspecting she knew what her lord was about to say, "Hold back; I know," Jarnsaxa grumbled.

"Nae," Thor said. "Give your all, as we all do. But when the Falcons are positioning themselves, give preference to their plan. The Dowsers are more their enemy than the Dwarves are ours."

"Speaking for yourself, Thor?" Sif asked.

"Back away now, Shieldbreaker," Jarnsaxa told her.

"There's exactly one reason why I don't hand you your head right here."

Loki said, "Noble ladies, if you could but refrain from killing one another until _after_ the match, that would be much appreciated."

"Please," Thor asked them.

"As you wish," Jarnsaxa said, bowing to Thor.

Sif bowed her head as well, but mouthed 'lapdog' at Jarnsaxa.

Loki shook his head, thankful that Skadi hadn't come with them as well - _She and her father may be the experts on Falcons and all to do with them, but putting Skadi, Sif, and Jarnsaxa on the same planet...surely there exists no surer way to sunder a planet._

Thor growled, "I will speak with you both as soon as we return to Asgard. While neither I nor Loki are king, we will not have you endangering all of us - recall that the Dwarves here have vouchsafed our passage for as long as our behavior is proper."

 _Someone's forgetting the habit of Dwarves to backstab, forestab, and make roofs collapse on you,_ Sif mused. _But very well._

"And yay, they invited an Elf over to be a referee for Foe today," Gudrun said, looking at the Elf and Dwarf walking over to them.

"They know we don't trust them," Loki said before Sif could say it in a less diplomatic way. "Understandably."

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**  
 **MIDGARD:** **Present Day:**  
 **the morning following Angrboda's arrival:**

"And a very _good_ morning, everybody!" Tony said loudly as everyone assembled in the main room. "Did we all sleep well?" and after everyone had replied in varying degrees of affirmative and muttering, he asked Jarnsaxa "Why does Jarvis tell me you were down here all night?"

"I was standing guard," she answered.

"Over what?" Tony asked, and followed her glare to Angrboda, who had encased herself in clear ice when others were dismissing themselves for sleep. "Her?" Tony asked, pointing to Angrboda. "She's a popsicle - no offense, Capt."

"None taken," Steve said.

Jarnsaxa said, too low for the other Avengers to hear, said to Stark that "Thor - he who is my prince and lord and future king - Thor has placed his kudos and all else at stake in this treaty - I will not risk his life again. And with all which has passed, _trust_ is not a free thing among most Asgardians, particularly where Jotuns are concerned."

Tony nodded, hearing all that, but his attention having been grabbed halfway through by - "Is she...melting?" looking at the Jotun in question.

"She appears to be doing so, sir," Jarvis said. "But not into the carpet or into the air - her body is reabsorbing the ice."

"That's a handy feature," Natasha told Angrboda once all the ice was gone.

Angrboda frowned. _What?_ "We call it sleep."

"O-kay," Tony said. "Anybody hungry?"

"Let us begin with the basic," Angrboda said. "Two or three, against one. Usually with the Foe occupying a strategic piece of high ground or other place of tactical importance."

"King of the Mountain, we call it," Clint said. "This is still the Foe game?"

"It is. Asgardian tag, this version is called."

"Why Asgardian?" Steve asked.

"Each participant must announce what creature they are emulating the strategy or powers of," she said as a set of simple ice-antlers rose from her head. "Deer," she said.

"We can't do that - the head thing."

"Nor can Asgardians."

"Then why - Wait a minute... _you shape-shift_?" Tony asked, turning from her to Thor.

"When we are children," Thor said defensively. _Loki was never very good at it; which is why his later magical talent surprised us all._ "When we are older, we _say_ what creature we emulate."

"We can do that," Steve said. "The comms in our ears will make that easier."

Tony joked that "A year ago, he thought computers couldn't be smaller than a car, and now he speaks casually about one in his ear. Seriously, let's do this."

"Um, where?" asked Bruce, ever the voice of reason.

"We'd like to know that as well, Mr. Stark," said Agent May; her and Agent Hill standing at the door.

"Who invited SHIELD?" Tony asked everyone. "Jarvis, how'd they get in?"

"They were most polite, sir," Jarvis said.

Hill didn't hide her smile at the expression on Stark's face right now.

"As I was saying, I have just the place for this," Tony said, "but first, breakfast!"

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**  
 **Jotunheim:** **Thirty Thousand Years Ago:**

This gaming mound had been set up from gathered stones and boulders and rubble, tossed together for participants of Angrboda's general age-group...more flexible than a child, not as weighty as an adult. A fully-grown Jotun would have needed to spread stabilizing frost to bind the underfoot at the very least.

Angrboda looked up the hill at friend Fire standing so confidently at the summit. She watched friend Yng's charge up another side of this hill, long ice-antlers sprouted up from his skull as he ascended swiftly, and was met with a broad slap from Fire's hand.

Fire looked down over fallen Yng and then at Angrboda, a frozen fish cresting Fire's head. He gazed calmly at the loose coils and tufted length of the ice-growth which capped her head; knowing the sheer patience of the rodents Angrboda was emulating.

She hopped up one stone, then stretched a leg to get her disjointed foot atop the next stable boulder. Angrboda held her position where she was, until Fire looked away - _there were three on my team, against his one as Foe._ \- when she used her magic to more swivel than pivot herself up to perch atop the boulder, hands and feet all flat on the stonetop. From where she was now, Fire could not see her, but nor could she see him.

 _Waiting him out,_ she knew as she let time pass, holding herself utterly still. She could hear Yng and friend Gir shouting at each other - their words unintelligible at this distance, with these rocks, with this wind; though she knew enough to know the team was squabbling, divisive.

When all had gone quiet, she made her move. Angrboda leaped up, and was nearly at the summit when Fire turned, a riot of frozen spikes atop his head, as were on the heads of Yng and Gir, their long-missing teammate - both Yng and Gir were spear-armed, pointing them at her.

"We win," Fire informed her.

Jotunheim had been isolated long enough for nobody to know if this sort of team-jumping and loyalty-switching still went on among Asgardians or other races. But that didn't matter for Angrboda, who smiled at them. "I can see why you would harbor that impression, false though it is," she said.

"It is not false. We could kill you if this were no game," Yng said.

"See to your feet," Angrboda said, giving a small kick to the rubble in front of her foot, which was sufficient to kick off a landslide: the rocks which Fire and new-allies Yng and Gir were standing upon, tumbling like scree. " _I_ win."


	5. The Avengers Are Remembered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to put a nice, neat bow atop the story...the resultant victory gives rise to the successors, who are talking to Thor.

**7,105,950 Years in the Future:**

"And the Avengers learned from Angrboda," said San from his place on the ceiling.

"All learned from all," Thor said gently. "The military games of Earth, fertilized the experiences of Foe-players from other Realms, just as Foe provided much-needed nutrients for the strategies of Earth to prosper in new directions and understandings."

"Your brainchild," said Gal from her perch on the railing.

_We never saw this period of humanity's development - where all events are traced back to the ruler - though echoes persisted throughout their religions and languages, which were stages which we did witness._ "I played a part in making it possible, yes."

"And with that under their belts was whereupon you were able to exterminate Thanos & Thanatos & their master," said Gal.

"That is correct," Thor said. "Without coordination of strategies between Earth and the other Realms, their master would have been bloodied but never defeated."

"You accomplished that which has been the greatest task in galactic history," said San.

"I did none of it alone," Thor insisted.

"You are the Great King, Lord of the Universe," said Par.

_Technically and legally, yes._ "A title which would mean less than nothing were it not for the victory of the Avengers and all Nine Realms." _A title I would not have._

"Were it not for your skills, none of the great warriors of the Long War would have existed," said San.

_Angrboda and Bruce Banner needed little help from me. Nor did Jennifer Walters and Steve Rogers. I did lend my voice when Loki courted Stark's grandchild, and offered my help when Sif and Gudrun found themselves the recipient of gifts from Jennifer's and Steve's great-grandchildren._ "There would be great warriors," Thor said, and left it at that.

"Recall to us the account of how the Sleeping Gods of Muspelheim & other Realms were awokened to fight alongside you," Gal asked.

Thor smiled. "Gladly. That, you see, was the moment when the ancestor of all of you, JARVIS, came into his own," and Thor told the tale...


End file.
